Nonflood cell cover assembly



Jan. 27, 1942. oc 2,271,129

NONFLOOD CELL COVER ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 3, 1940 2; 15 J6 25 5501:? E JQ-Psaaaa/f Patented Jan. 27', 1942 UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE NONFLOOD CELL COVER ASSEMBLY George A. Paddock, Stow, Ohio, asslgnor to The B.- F. Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 3, 1949, Serial No. 350,319

2' Claims.

This invention relates to non-flood cell cover assemblies for storage batteries-and constitutes an improvement over the construction disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 230,231, filed September 16, 1938.

r from the position of Fig. 2.

In the prior application I have disclosed a non-flood cell cover assembly in which a filler well structure is threadedly mounted in an opening in the cell cover for vertical movement between an upper sealing position and a lower venting position of said well structure, and a vent cap is provided in detachable engagement with the upper end of the well structure, the arrangement being such that the cap is detachable.

from such structure only in the raised, sealing position of the latter. This makes possible removal of the cap for filling purposes where a seal-is eflected so that the well limits the level of the liquid, and the cap remains in the structure in the lowermost, venting position thereof in which condition the battery may be charged without leakage bybubbling under release of gases.

In the prior construction, however, the vent cap was engaged only with the filling well structure and detachment was effected by a lateral movement of the cap.

In accordance with the present invention I have found that greater ease and facility and reliability of operation may be provided if the cap can be handled more nearly in the normal manner of a simple screw cap, the invention making it possible to engage the cap directly with the cover and also with the well structure by a straight inserting and screwing motion, and in a manner that promotes correct manipulation of the apparatus by the operator.

The chief objects of the invention are to provide an improved assembly having the foregoing characteristics and to provide for convenience of manufacture and economy of material. These and further objects will be apparent from the following description, reference'being had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a three-cell battery constructed according to and embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section of the cell cover and filling well structure taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1, the filling well structure being shown at its raised position, the vent cap being shown above the filling well structure in side elevation, portions of the cap being broken away, the retaining lugs of the vent cap being shown as aligned with the cooperating slots in the filling well.

Fig. 3 isan elevation of the vent cap of the assembly, the cap being in a position 90 rotated Fig. 4 is a plan view of the filling .well structure.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the filling well structure and cap in assembled relation for venting, the cover of the cell being shown in section.

With reference to the drawing, a battery container I is divided by partitions into three cells, each having a cover assembly The battery is provided with-the usual terminal posts l2, l2 and'inter-cell connections I3, I3.

- Each'cell cover has a boss H which is apertured and internally threaded at l for the reception of a valve and filling well structure 16, this well structure being tubular and at its upper end being exteriorly provided with threads l1 matching the threads l5 of the cell cover opening. The well structure It in its uppermost position extends downward a distance sufiicient to provide a gas-trapping space the level of' the liquid being thereby limited by the lower endof the well. structure such that complete filling of the-cell is prevented. A flange I8 extends about the well structure and has an annular groove I9 adapted to receive a ridge 20 on the underside of the cover for providing a water seal to assure no escape of gas at this position during the filling of the cell. With such water seal a spacing of the flange fromthe bottom of the cover is made possible without resulting leakage, but if desired such fiange may be brought int contact with the cover or with a film of the liquid between the cover and the flange to effect seal- 111g.

The upper portion of the well structure I6 has its wall slotted at diametrically opposed positions 2|, 2|, each slot extending downward a suflicient distance so that, it is completely closed in the uppermost position of the well structure, and the lower portion of each slot will be exposed to the space beneath the cover when the well structure has been screwed down to the lowermost position indicated in Fig. 3. In such lowermost position of the well structure gas is permitted to vent from the space above the liquid through the slots 2| into the interior of the well structure l6 and out through the cap to the atmosphere.

For manipulating the well. structure between its uppermostand lowermost positions a cap 22 having a vent opening 23 and an apertured baflle plate 24 has a downward extension 25 adapted to fit within the bore of the well structure IS.

The part 25 is provided with means for detachably engaging the well structure to rotate the same and also for threadedly engaging the cover itself. For this purpose the downwardly extending part 25 is provided with lugs 26, 26, at diametrically opposed positions, these lugs being of a width suited to slip into the slots 2|, 2| of the well structure and being formed at their outer surfaces with threads 21 matching the internal threads of the cover so that the cap may be screwed into the cover. Also, as it is perhaps best shown in Fig. 5, the threads 21 upon the lugs are so disposed as to be in continuation with the threads l1 of the well structure when the underside 30 of the cap is in contact with the top surface 3| of the filler well, this condition being true whether a lug of the cap be inserted in one slot or the other of the well structure. To permit axial insertion of the cap to this extent, when the filler well structure is at its most elevated position shown in Fig. 2, in the cell cover opening, the filler well is preferably dimensioned to project above the upper surface of the cell cover boss I in this position, and the boss is counterbored, as at 32, at its upper end to a diameter larger than the threads and to a depth at least equal to the axial depth of the lugs 26, minus the amount the vent well structure projects above the boss.

The arrangement is such that, starting with the position of Fig. 2, which is the filling position of the well structure, the cap is axially inserted so that the lugs 26, 26 enter the slots 2|, 2| of the well structure until the under face III of the cap 22 contacts the top face 3| of the filler well structure and the threads 21 of the lugs are in alignment with the threads l1 (Fig. 5). This alignment is made possible and facilitated by the provision of tw threads l5a, lib, starting at diametrically opposed positions corresponding to the two threads l1a, [1b, which also terminate at diametrically opposed positions (Fig. 4), the sections of threads 21, 21 of the lugs on the cap matching the other threads. The twin threads permit ready entrance and engagement therewith by both lugs 26, 26 at the same time, and the twin threads further facilitate a quick closing movement, good results being obtained by a patch of the threads such that complete closing or opening movement of the valve is effected by about one-half a revolution of the vent cap.

The cap, well structure and cover may be individually molded of rubber material and as a result of the construction hereinabove described no machining is necessary. For facilitating the removal of the well structure from the mold, this structure may be formed with lugs 28, 28 integral therewith which lugs may be engaged by a suitable tool for unscrewing the structure from the mold.

I claim:

1. A cover assembly for a container for electrolyte comprising a cover having an opening the wall of which is threaded therethrough, a tubular valve and filling well structure threaded exteriorly to its top to cooperate with the threaded wall of the cover opening for bodily vertical movement of said structure upon rotation thereof in said opening and having a portion depending below the cover for providing between the the well structure by relative axial movement when said well structure is in its uppermost position for manipulating said structure, said portion of the cap being threaded to supply a threaded portion thereof in said slot in continuation of the threaded portion of said well structure and adapted to engage the threaded portion of the cover for securing the cap in the threaded wall as the cap compels lowering of the well structure during rotation thereof in such threaded wall, and for freeing the cap from such threaded wall when the well structure is elevated to its raised position by reverse movement.

2. A cover assembly for a container for electrolyte comprising a cover having an opening the wall of which has a pair of threads terminating at diametrically opposed positions at the upper ends thereof below the top of the opening and extending to the bottom thereof, a tubular valve and filling well structure threaded exteriorly to its top to cooperate with the threaded wall of the cover opening for bodily vertical movement of said structure upon rotation thereof in said opening and having a portion depending below the cover for providing between the cover and a normal electrolyte level a gas-trapping space adjacent said well structure beneath the cover in the raised position of said well structure, said well structure being slotted in diametrically opposed threaded portions thereof down from the top of the structure to an extent such as to put the well in venting communication with said space below the cover when said well structure is in its lowered position and to shut ofl such communication when said structureis in its raised, gas-trapping position, said well structure having a radial flange and said cover having .a dependent ridge about said threaded opening for cooperating therewith to provide a seal in the raised position of said well structure, and a vented cap having diametrically opposite portions adapted to enter the slots in the well structure by relative axial movement when said well structure is in its uppermost position for manipulating said structure, said CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,271,129, January 27, 19h2.

GEORGE A. PADDOCK.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, first column, line 51, for Fpatch" read --pitch'.-;and that the said Letters/Patent should be read with this correction therein that the sememay conform to the record of the case in Patent Office Signed and seeleil this 8th dayof D cember, A. D.- 1914.2.

-Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

